This invention relates to collective objects management systems in general, and in particular to an improved collective objects management system using object identification with digital addresses. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement for a collective objects management system using object identification with digital addresses, the improvement pertaining to a receptacle for random deposit of addressable objects.
The term “collective objects management systems” is a term coined to denote systems for generally keeping track of items (“objects”) in a collection of items. For example, an automobile parts warehouse at any given time has a collection of vehicle parts (“objects”) in inventory. The kind and number of such parts varies every day, as parts are sold and new parts are received. In order to keep track of the number and kind of vehicle parts in inventory, some type of collective vehicle parts management system must be used. Similarly, in a semiconductor manufacturing operation, at any given time there is a collection of integrated circuits (“objects”) of one or more types located somewhere in the facility, which must be accounted for using a collective integrated circuits management system. In supermarkets, a collection of a large number of different types of items, such as meats, produce, canned goods and the like is usually in inventory, with the number and types of objects varying widely on a daily basis and thus requiring a complex objects management system. In business offices and some homes, file storage cabinets are typically used to store documents used for both business and personal activities. A typical file storage cabinet has several pull-out drawers each containing a relatively large number of file folders (“objects”), with each folder containing one or more documents. In order to enable the documents contained in the various files to be readily accessed and inventoried, some type of file management system is necessary.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,471,717 issued Jun. 25, 2013 for “Collective Objects Management System With Object Identification Using Addressable Decoder Units” discloses a system for managing objects distributed in an object location space. The disclosure of the '717 patent is hereby incorporated by reference. The '717 system enables efficient management of a collection of objects by associating an address decoder circuit with each object in the collection, with each address decoder being accessible by a system user via a host computer. This technique provides objects management capability for objects distributed in an object location space which is superior to older, manual techniques implemented in the past.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 9,875,460 for “Removably Suspended Electronically Addressable Object And System” issued Jan. 23, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses an electronically addressable removably suspendable object carrier and a system for management of objects carried thereby which extends the advantages afforded by the electronically addressable collective objects management system described above with reference to the '717 patent to the class of removably suspendable objects. The invention of the '460 patent comprises an electronically addressable object carrier for enabling the management of objects distributed in an object location space, the object carrier comprising a housing having an object retention element for securing an object to the object carrier and at least one through aperture for removably receiving an electrically conductive suspension member capable of manifesting object address signals and power signals supplied by a source; a microcontroller carried by the housing, the microcontroller having a unique object address serving to identify an object secured to the object carrier; an electrically conductive element located in the at least one aperture for electrically coupling the microcontroller to the electrically conductive suspension member when the aperture is removably received on the electrically conductive suspension member; and an indicator coupled to the microcontroller for activation whenever the microcontroller receives an address signal representative of the unique object address. The indicator is a visible indicator, preferably an LED light source. The object carrier may also include an additional indicator coupled to the microcontroller for activation whenever the microcontroller receives power signals.
In use, the devices according to the '460 invention are removably suspended by a plurality of electrically conductive suspension members capable of manifesting object address signals and power signals supplied by a source, the suspension members being secured to a support element, such as the back board of a cabinet. A user can locate an individual object registered in the system by merely entering the identification of the sought object into a host computer, observing the activated visible indicator on the object carrier associated to the object, and manually removing the object carrier from the suspension member.
While the '460 system greatly improves management of the removably suspended objects registered in the system, the integrity of the collection of objects is susceptible to unauthorized removal of the object carriers from the suspension members. In particular, any object carrier can be removed from its suspension member once access to the storage cabinet is achieved. Consequently, a user with access to the system can remove not only the sought object but also all other objects stored in the cabinet. This compromised integrity of the collection of objects is less than desirable.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 10,102,698 issued Oct. 16, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a solution which cures the disadvantages inherent in the '460 system. Specifically, the '698 system employs a combination of a specially designed lockable cabinet having a plurality of receiving apertures formed in an intermediate partition and companion object holders having a geometry conformable with the partition apertures so that they can be inserted and removed from the apertures. A plurality of solenoid locks are positioned adjacent to the partition apertures and are engageable with a locking notch formed in the object holders so that an object holder, once inserted into a partition aperture, cannot be removed until the solenoid is operated to unlock a given object holder.
Both the 460 system and the '698 system have been found to be effective in providing collective object management in a variety of applications. However, in some applications the typical users find the requirement to carefully install the object holders on suspension members or in receiving apertures to be inconvenient at best and bothersome at worst. This is particularly true for systems which are designed for use by salesmen with a collection of automobile keys in a auto dealership. In addition, both systems require specially constructed storage cabinets which increases the cost of the system.